What's the news?
If you can cast your minds back two years to the Geneva Motor Show of 2015, you might recall the handsome Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept, which predicted a two-seater sports car that would form the entry point of Bentley's range. Well, in Geneva for 2017 is this EXP 12 Speed 6e Concept, an all-electric study that's design to show how Bentley envisages its EV future.
Essentially a convertible version of the EXP 10 - but no less beautiful for that - the EXP 12 features a grille that has a '6e' logo in it that illuminates bright white when the car is running. Inside is a suitably grandiose if outlandish interior, with an OLED display cluster hewn from a single piece of curved glass and copper detailing. Bentley imagines the Speed 6e having a full suite of connected-car and concierge services to make it as luxurious in this EV model as it would be in any of its conventionally powered machines.
No great detail is forthcoming on the electric motor or battery pack, although Bentley says it would want the car to be able to get from London to Paris or Milan to Monaco on a single charge. It would achieve this via use of high-speed inductive charging, which of course is not part of the roads infrastructure yet - but one day, one day... And if inductive charging is not available, there's a plug-in port hidden behind the rear number plate.
Bentley says it is committed to electric cars but, rather more pragmatically and realistically than the EXP 12, it will begin its electrification process with a production-ready plug-in hybrid version of the Bentayga SUV in 2018.
Anything else?
Wolfgang Durheimer, the CEO of Bentley, said of the EXP 12: "This is a concept to show that Bentley is defining electric motoring in the luxury sector, with the appropriate technology, high-quality materials and refinement levels you'd expect from a true Bentley. This concept enables us to engage with luxury customers and gather feedback on our approach. Bentley is committed to offering an electric model in its future portfolio and we are interested to receive feedback on this concept."